Why did we hate Robert Patrick, other than "He's not Duchovny"? The guy's GREAT.
I didn't want the T-1000 to replace Mulder. Not one bit. So season 8 sucked, the new guy sucked... everything sucked and I was never going to give any of it a chance.
I recently watched the last two seasons with an open mind, and while the show's overall quality was slipping, Patrick was SUPERB. The guy has screen presence for miles and absolutely nailed the hard-but-tender Doggett. Patrick's work in the scene where he begs "Audrey Pauley" to help save Reyes, is IMO the most moving piece of acting in the entire X-Files canon. Not far behind is in "Underneath", when he's balancing disgust and affection for his old, corrupt NYPD partner. "You sonofabitch, this is a FELONY!" deserves meme status, and the crack in his voice when he has to reign himself in as Scully appears... some high-end acting right there.
So, were there any valid reasons why the addition of this accomplished, well-respected character actor was such an awful thing back in 2000? I reckon quite a few of us missed out on some damn good work.